Pacific Black Duck

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

The Pacific Black Duck is a medium-sized (47–60 cm), dark-bodied waterbird easily identified by its boldly striped face. It features a pale cream head with a dark crown and two prominent black stripes: one running through the eye and a second parallel stripe along the cheek. The body plumage is a deep sooty-brown, with feathers finely edged in pale buff to create a scalloped appearance. In flight, it reveals a shimmering iridescent green speculum on the upper wing and strikingly white underwings. Both sexes look alike year-round, lacking seasonal plumage changes, though males are generally larger. Vocalisations include the classic "quack." The female produces a loud, raucous series of rapid quacks that descend in volume and pitch, while the male’s call is much softer, breathier, and more wheezing. A versatile dabbling duck, it feeds by upending vertically to reach aquatic seeds, vegetation, and invertebrates, or by filtering insects from the surface. It is often seen in pairs or small groups and is generally more wary than other urban waterfowl. When startled, it rises strongly from the water with direct, rapid wingbeats. It is found across the entire Australian continent in almost any water source, from remote desert pools and woodland rivers to tidal mudflats and urban park lakes. It is frequently confused with the introduced Mallard, with which it extensively hybridises. Pure Pacific Black Ducks are distinguished by their sharply defined facial stripes, darker body, and the absence of white borders around the speculum or orange on the legs and bill. It is also significantly larger and darker than the Grey Teal, which lacks the distinct head patterning and features a conspicuous white triangular patch on the wing.

Description · BirdUp · CC BY-SA 4.0

1. 01

   Bold dark double eyestripe on pale face

   A dark line runs through the eye and a second, parallel malar stripe runs below it, set against a cream-coloured face.

2. 02

   Glossy green speculum without white borders

   The iridescent green patch on the wing is bordered by thin black lines, but lacks the broad white bars.

3. 03

   Bright white underwing linings

   In flight, the entirely white underwing coverts contrast sharply with the dark body.

4. 04

   Dark, scalloped body plumage

   Body is dark sooty-brown, with each feather neatly edged in pale buff, creating a scaled appearance.